Hi, I'm just wondering if this translation of the last Loci Antiqui is correct. Maybe the style is a bit clumsy but have I understood it at least? Can't find a translation of this Caesar of Heisterbach character anywhere!

English:In this church there was a little schoolboy. When on this particular day he couldn’t compose the verses from the material which his teacher had given him, the devil came in the form of a man. When he said: ‘What is it, boy? Why are you sitting so sadly?’ the boy replied: ‘I am afraid of my teacher whose verses I cannot compose on the theme given by him.’ And he said: ‘Do you not wish to serve me if I myself compose the verses for you?’ The boy, not understanding that this was the devil, replied: ‘Even I master, am prepared to do what you have ordered—provided that I have the verses and avoid a beating.’ Then, having immediately dictated the verses, the devil left. When the boy gave these verses to his teacher however he, marveling at the excellent verses, was frightened, regarding knowledge of such divine things as inhuman. And he said: ‘Tell me, who dictated these verses to you?’ At first the boy replied: ‘Me, master!’ The teacher however did not believe him and repeating his words of interrogation often, the boy confessed everything at last. The teacher then said ‘Son, this rhymer was the devil. My dear boy, always beware of this seducer and his works.’ And the boy left behind the devil and his works.

Here are some things I noticed, but I'm not sure if they're not just choices you made in translating.

gerardnfarrell wrote:When on this particular day

"hic" refers back to the schoolboy and I'd say something like "on a certain day".

You missed the "et tristis sederet" in your translation.

‘I am afraid of my teacher whose verses I cannot compose on the theme given by him.’

"quod" here is "because"

‘Do you not wish to serve me if I myself compose the verses for you?’

I read this just a straightforward question, "do you wish..."

‘Even I master, am prepared to do what you have ordered

"Etiam" here is an emphatic answer, something like "yes indeed" -- if it were "even I", you'd need "ego" as well. Also "quidquid iusseris" = "whatever you order", where I take "iusseris" as being a future perfect.

marveling at the excellent verses

lit. "at the excellence of the verses"

regarding knowledge of such divine things as inhuman

lit. it's the knowledge that's divine, "regarding knowledge of these things as divine, not human."